After Work
by JENTWCSINYFAN2
Summary: Tony Dinozzo and Zoe Keates living together prior to The Sun Rises. He also has a cat named Kate in this one . Changing things to more capitals in my summaries
1. Chapter 1

After Work: domesticated Tony and Zoe..living together maybe this could be prior to He Falls or between that and the wedding in The Sun Rises. Have been wanting to do something with them living together and see how that works, thanks for reading. And to my buddy dustytiger who runs all things fluff and non-fluff with me from oh Canada. You are so appreciated my friend and so are all those who read my little stories.

Tony Dinozzo had arrived at the apartment before his live in girlfriend Zoe Keates was home. He had felt achy and chilled at work that day and decided that a hot bath might help if he was coming down with something. He got his robe from the bedroom on the bedpost and headed to the bathroom to start his water. He reached under the sink and found his vanilla and eucalyptus bath salts and added them to the running water. He stepped in slowly and exhaled as he sat down. He felt better already just being in the tub. His head leaned back on the back edge as his body relaxed.

He was just about to turn on the IPod dock in the bathroom when the door was pushed open.

He said "Hey when did you get home sweetheart?"

She replied "A little while ago. I hate defense attorneys."

He nodded. "Oh that's right your Hernandez case was in pretrial today." "Want to join me in here, might help you unwind."

She smiled. "No thanks, you and your bath time are sacred spider. Besides I heard a rumor you weren't quite a hundred percent."

He said "I just took a few Advil today in the office. Felt achy and a little cold. Gibbs tends to go into protective bear mode when I'm not myself."

Zoe nodded "Actually Bishop noticed. She said you seemed like you were off a step today."

Tony moved in the tub and the water splashed a little. "She worries, will make her a good mom someday."

She said "Well if you want me to help you feel better with one of my backrubs I can do that after I change into something other than this suit. I'll be in the bedroom with a glass of nice Yellowtail wine and a juicy book. I'll meet you when you're ready."

Tony smiled. "Thank you honey, I'll see you in a little while."

She kissed his forehead gently. "Relax for a while. It will help you feel better."

He said "You do know you're good for me and I love that about you right?"

She smiled. "Well aren't you sweet. Thank you Tony, I love you too."

Then she moved out of the bathroom to let him finish his soak and have some quiet time.

Zoe heard a squeaking noise down the hallway and saw Tony's recently adopted rescue cat Kate playing with her rubber mouse. He had found her in the trash dumpster outside the building before she had moved in with him a month or so ago. She smiled and said "Kate did you have your dinner yet? And do we need to check out your litter box?"

The cat purred a little and looked at her with her one blue eye. There was some Siamese in her and some Maine Coon as well. Her eye had been removed by the vet since it had gotten injured in the dumpster and couldn't be repaired...

Zoe checked the cat's bowl and saw that there was fresh kibble and water and that her litter looked freshly changed. So she opened her bottle of wine and poured a glass. "Come on kitty, you can get up on the bed. Dad might need to pet you for a while."

The cat looked at her and then followed her to the bedroom.

Zoe changed into some deep purple cotton lounging pants and a matching tank top and then lifted the cat gently onto their bed. She had just gotten comfortable with the cat in her spot between her pillow and Tony's when he came in with his robe on.

He smiled and said" Oh my other favorite girl wants to help make it better too?"

She smiled. "Yes she does."

Tony said "That's sweet." He took off his robe and laid down on the bed on his side.

Zoe said "Let's see if we can make your muscles feel better shall we?"

He replied "I'm all about that baby."

She began to give him a gentle back rub with her cinnamon scented massage oil starting at the base of his neck.

He said "Oh yeah you are magic. I love you Zoe."

She smiled. "Well I am glad it is helping. Just relax and rest. "

Tony yawned and his eyes closed slowly. "Hmm." He exhaled slowly.

Zoe worked on his shoulders and noticed that his color looked better than when she had first come home tonight. Poor baby must have picked up a bug. But she would make it better.


	2. the next day and a bump

Thanks to dusty tiger for running this again with me. Much appreciated.

The following morning: Zoe woke up to the sound of a sneeze. She lifted her head from its position on Tony's chest and said "spider?"

He said "Bet you didn't know you were dating a geek with allergies and an inhaler. "

She replied "You're not a geek Tony."

He smiled. "Thanks for that but wait until you see my glasses when my eyes are too swollen for my contacts to be used."

She touched his face. "I bet you would look sexy in glasses."

He smiled. "You're so good to me honey."

She said "What time do you have to go in today? I get to go in later because my pretrial stuff on Hernandez is finished."

He replied "Around eleven. Gibbs told me to get some extra rest since I was kind of sneezy in the bullpen yesterday. The pollen count needs to go back down for me to feel more human."

She said "I go in at the same time too. What do you feel like for breakfast?" She moved and the burgundy blanket revealed her small tattoo of handcuffs near her left shoulder as she moved away from snuggling under his left arm.

He replied "Hmm French toast?"

She smiled. "I think I can manage that." She stretched and then pulled on her robe over Tony's faded Ohio State t-shirt.

He said "And to think I almost threw that away a few months ago. But now that it looks good on you I may have to see what other things do."

She smiled. "It's soft and it's like hugging you when you're not here."

Tony kissed her cheek. "Thanks beautiful."

She replied "Why don't you let that sneezy body of yours rest my very special agent teddy bear and I will go start some coffee and check on Kate."

He smiled and said "Thank you but you might spoil me if you keep that up."

She ran her hand down his chest gently. "You're worth it Tony. "

Then one of their cell phones buzzed from Tony's nightstand on his side of the bed.

He answered his. "Dinozzo."

"Oh hey Bish. "

She replied "Just called to see how you were feeling."

He said "If the pollen count would drop I'd be better but oh well."

She replied "I understand."

He said "I'll be in around eleven, I was told to get more rest and come in late."

She said "Good, I need my work big brother to be ok."

Tony's face blushed. "Aww that's nice El. Thanks for checking in on me and I will see you later."

She replied "Yes you will."

Then he hung up just as Zoe came back with his coffee in a mug. "Was that Bishop?"

Tony said "She worries."

Zoe smiled. "No she cares about her partner they are two separate things honey."

Tony's face was a little red. "It is kind of nice."

She smiled. "I think someone might be blushing a little."

He said "I could be, I'm not used to it. " "I mean people worrying about me. Senior is getting better but for a long time before you I have been on my own."

She said "I know there are still parts of you that are private and I understand but you have come a long way with sharing things with me. We all have things that are hard to talk about in our lives."

Tony said "I love you, you know that right? That's not private. Everybody knows that I think. " He swallowed some coffee slowly. "Perfect my favorite French Roast and hazelnut creamer."

She smiled. "Kate has been fed and watered and is playing with her rubber ball today in the living room. Her litter box is still fairly good to go too."

He replied "Thanks honey. You may be her other favorite human in this apartment I think."

"She's a sweet cat."

Tony finished his coffee and pulled on his robe. "I think I will get my clothes out for work, which color do you think today for my shirt?"

She smiled. "I like you in red."

He said "Red it is for the pretty lady. I can be a little casual today since I am going in later. "He got some gray pants out and put them on the foot of the bed. "Just have to remember my Claritin after I eat even if it makes me a little dopey at work."

She smiled. "Dopey or sneezy, which one do you like more?"

He nodded. "You have a point my love." Then he went to the shower while Zoe went to start on the French toast with some bread that they had made together over the weekend. She knew there were fresh peaches around as well so she sliced a few for on top of the French toast. She knew he would like that.

Later: Tony came out to the kitchen dressed with bare feet. "Something smells amazing brown eyed girl." She smiled. "Good, it's just about ready. You need a good breakfast to start your day."

He kissed her cheek. "Thank you for this. I think you're about due for a batch of lasagna this weekend. "

She smiled. "You say the sweetest things spider."

Then they ate the French toast and Zoe went to get ready for work.

"Have a stake out starting today. Hope I will be home tonight but it might be late. Warehouse in Norfolk has had a lot of suspicious traffic for an old pizza sauce factory."

Tony said "Be careful brown eyed girl. I know Vega has your back but still I worry."

She touched his face gently and then licked her thumb. "You had maple syrup on your lip and I will I promise."

He nodded. "It's just that things are so good with us that I don't want anything to mess it up."

She said "Me either, it works for real this time. We would have crashed and burned back in Philly. I know that now. Growing up was good for both of us and so was reconnecting."

He looked at her. "I am just glad I have another shot with you after all this time."

She headed to the bathroom to shower while Tony cleared the dishes and watched her walk out of the room. She had the most perfect ass and it belonged to him.

He whistled Some Kind of Wonderful as he started dish water running to clean the grill pan and their plates and silverware. This was a pretty good Wednesday after all.

A few hours later: Tony was in the dusty attic of a house where a cold case was being reexamined and he felt his nose tickle. He had taken Claritin so he just rubbed it with the back of his hand and went back to looking around the room. He opened a drawer of an old dresser and a puff of dust blew into his face. Then he sneezed and didn't see Gibbs enter the room.

"Bless ya Dinozzo."

Tony said "Sorry boss, the dust in here is one of things that my nose doesn't get along with. Took my allergy pill after breakfast."

Gibbs nodded. "Why don't you go downstairs where it's cleaner? McGee can come up for a while."

Tony shrugged. "All right but I am never going to live it down."

Gibbs said "Well I can't have you blowing snot all over a former crime scene. If he gives you any problems tell him I said so."

Tony nodded. "On it boss." Then he went down to the living room where McGee and Bishop were going over the evidence in it again.

He said "Gibbs wants you to take the attic Tim, my nose doesn't like the dust up there. Said he can't have me blowing snot all over a former crime scene."

McGee said "All right then but you owe me one sneezy."

Tony sighed. "Very funny, next dumpster we have to search I'll take one for the team."

McGee smiled. "I love knowing allergy season is your kryptonite Tony." He smirked as he went upstairs.

Tony said "I'm in for it now."

Bishop replied. "He'll get over it."

Tony shrugged. "He's had years of waiting to get one over on me. It's only fair that he gets to have his fun now."

Later after they were back at the office: Tony's cell phone rang and he answered it "Dinozzo."

"Hey Cesar, how are you?"

"How did that happen? As soon as I tell my boss I'm there. Well it sounds like she will be off her feet for a while after she comes around. Thanks for telling me. Tell her I'll be there soon."

Then Tony hung up and sighed. "Boss Zoe was on a stake out with her team in Norfolk. Someone that was hiding ecstacy in the building they were watching jumped her before they could get inside and watch things. She got knocked unconscious and tweaked her left ankle. She's getting that x-rayed and a head CT in the ER near here. Can I go and see her?"

Gibbs said "Go, make sure she's ok and call me when you know more. I bet she gave the guy who jumped her a fight too. She's feisty that way."

Tony smiled a little. "Thanks boss."

He nodded "She's good for you. Keep that."

Tony said "Well she lives with me now which is a pretty good start."

Then he got his gear and headed to the elevator meeting McGee who was coming from Abby's lab with the toxin test results on a petty officer who had collapsed after a stroke and died in the dining hall of her ship. "Whoa you don't look happy Tony."

Tony said" Some jag off jumped Zoe at a stakeout scene. She'll be ok but I need to see her myself."

McGee nodded. "I know how that feels. When Delilah got hurt it almost killed me until I could hold her. Zoe's tough. They will get who did this to her."

Tony nodded. "Thanks Tim."

He said "For what?"

Tony replied "The reality check and well for caring."

McGee joked. "Who are you and what happened to the real Tony Dinozzo?"

Tony smirked. "Ok McSmarty rub it in. I'm evolving, I like being happy."

McGee said "Good because I know what you're like when you're hurting. I like seeing the bounce back in your step Tigger."

Tony laughed as he got on the elevator and pushed the button for the exit. 


	3. Chapter 3

Tony entered the apartment after a long and brutal case and heard the sound of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire." He tossed his gear in the corner and then said "Z?"

She came out of the kitchen. "Spider."

He said "Nice song but I'm not sure how much fire I have tonight."

She nodded. "It's ok Tony I know you were working pretty much around the clock this week. Is it over?"

He sighed. "How could a parent make their child sick?" "Thought I would have to pull Gibbs off the ceiling in interrogation when we found out the father did it."

Zoe touched his arm gently. "I'm sorry Tony." "I made some chicken and bow tie pasta with that alfredo sauce that you made last weekend."

He smiled. "I could eat and then curl up with you in our bed. Happy four month anniversary by the way." He pulled a little box out of his pocket.

"This is just something I saw in a store window and thought of you."

She opened it and smiled. "It's beautiful. A ruby pendant with a heart and a key charm."

He said "You have the key to my heart Zoe."

She kissed him and her eyes teared up a little. "This is amazing Tony, thank you so much."

His hand touched her face. "Don't cry brown eyed girl."

She replied "I'm just overwhelmed but in a good happy way."

Then she said "I hope you like my gift, I think it will look good on your desk."

He smiled. "I am sure it will." She handed him a gift bag with a picture frame in it.

He looked at it when he pulled it out. "Wow, both Kates and you. How did you do this?"

She said "Scanned it into my laptop at work and blew it up after I photo shopped myself in. I made one for your nightstand too so you could keep it here."

He nodded. "Good, I will put it on my desk for sure. Three of my favorite females in my life. I love it baby thank you." He kissed her gently.

She said "Now that's the Tony I like seeing when you get home, some of the weight on your shoulders lifted a little."

He nodded. "Someone smart told me not to waste good and well you are. I needed you back in my life but for a long time I wasn't ready to be real about a lot of things. I thought I loved another woman and really it was just because she and I were together all the time. It wasn't healthy for me. It hurt yes to let her go but I did it."

Zoe listened. "Ziva?" "I know she was your partner and you went to Somalia to rescue her when she thought she belonged back with Mossad."

He looked at her for a moment. "McGee has a big mouth."

She said "No I searched her on the internet. Mossad has quite the web site right now. She has become active with them again. She is exotically beautiful."

He shrugged. "If you like the ninja assassin type then yeah she can be fetching."

Zoe looked at him. "You got burned?"

He said "That is a long story for another day." His stomach growled. "My lunch Greek yogurt was a long time ago honey."

She replied "Well then let's get you some dinner. It's keeping warm on top of the oven."

He smiled. "Thank you Z."

She looked at him "For what?"

"For being in my life and caring about me. You're amazing and I love you."


	4. Chapter 4

Why he hates spring and rain: something with Tony and Zoe that got into my head and that I have been running with dusty tiger, thanks again for a different thing to add to after work. I think Tony would tell Zoe about his past with women and just maybe Wendy wasn't the woman who burned him first. She just made him feel like he wasn't good at a relationship possibly or meant to be married in Baltimore when he thought he was supposed to stay there and continue being a detective with the department and his old partner. If there wasn't Gibbs and a dirty partner who knows... have watched Baltimore again on DVD and some eps with Paula Cassidy recently too. I liked the two of them and wished they could have been more...

Mentions Paula Cassidy and another old girlfriend from high school of Tony's who was his first. He had a pregnancy scare with her but she took care of the problem without him being there. Around the time of year when Paula was killed so he is missing her or has her on his mind. Also tired from not sleeping well with that time of year in his headspace.

"Zoe, why are you with me?" Tony asked.

She looked at him. "Because you're good for me and I love you Tony."

He slowly pulled off his shirt while standing in their bedroom. And was in his head for a moment.

She said "I could whistle and catcall if it makes you feel any better."

He smiled a little. "Thank you honey, you always know how to pull me out of my shell."

She touched his face. "You do the same for me now what's on that handsome mind of yours?"

"I don't know if I ever told you about Paula Cassidy. She was a hell of a woman, taken too soon. She was another NCIS agent. Thought I loved someone else and she went to her death not knowing what I felt."

She replied "You loved her?" She felt something damp on his cheek and gently kissed it.

He sighed. "Yes I did at the time. Though I never thought after Philly I would get another shot and we would end up well here."

She held him for a minute. "You're hard to forget spider. We were both ready to be real now and see what we could build. That's why it works between us."

He looked at her. "Thank you brown eyed girl."

She looked at him. "For what?"

He kissed her face on one side. "For being who you are and having my six."

"I guess nobody wants to ever have my baby."

She blinked. "What happened Tony?"

He swallowed. "There was a girl, Annie when I was in high school. Her mom and dad owned Damien's the local pizzeria. I worked there for spending money and to get away from my latest stepmother, I think it was Valerie or maybe Sharon. Anyway things happened between Annie and I and she got pregnant. And then four weeks into it she took care of the problem. I finished out working there that summer but then I got a job at the mall in the fall on weekends. We were pretty much done."

"If I had been more mature with Paula and ready who knows? But then I wouldn't have you now."

Zoe just held her face in his hands. "I'm so sorry for everything Tony. I had no idea you had been through all of that. "

He nodded. "Thank you dear. Now I just need to curl up with you and Kate and get some sleep. "

She smiled. "Well let me put Kate in her usual spot though she likes me petting her right now."

He said "You are her other favorite human besides Gibbs."

He got under the blankets after he had taken off his pants slowly and curled up.

She got into bed and moved so she could hold him. He needed that on this kind of night.

Then his phone buzzed on his nightstand.

"Dinozzo."

"Hey Tim. I just need some sleep. Well it just was a rough day for me today."

Tim replied. "I am sure Zoe is helping you feel better."

He said "Yes she is. Thanks for checking in on me Tim and tell Gibbs I'll be good to go tomorrow. I know he was worried before I left."

McGee replied "You were quieter than usual. He gets his papa bear radar when that happens."

Tony said "I know. I'll make it up to him."

McGee said "Just get some sleep. "

He replied "I will Tim, glad you called."

Then he hung up and curled back up close to Zoe.

She ran her hand gently down his back and side.

He laughed a little when she hit his ticklish spot.

"You want to cheer me up don't you Z?"

She replied "You're in your head a little again. I understand why, just know that I love you ok?"

He smiled. "I know baby and I love you too."

Question: Should I do something where he isn't himself at work and Gibbs is "nice" because he knows he is having a rough day to tie in with this? I know it is kind of Tony and Zoe centered mostly but I think it will work for another chapter, thoughts?


	5. Chapter 5

Zoe entered the apartment and heard water running in the bathroom. She got her robe and the tank top she liked to sleep in from Philly and her lounging pants.

Then she poked her head into the bathroom door and said "Mind if I join you? I know your baths are your time honey."

Tony replied. "I like you being near me, there is plenty of room in here for you."

Zoe smiled when she smelled her lime candle burning. After getting undressed she stepped into the tub slowly. Then she heard the music on the IPod dock in the bathroom.

"My other boyfriend Kenny Chesney spider, you do know when I've had a crappy day."

He touched her hair gently. "Want to talk about it?"

She sighed. "We were called to a home with a situation that involved a fellow ATF agent's daughter. She had a gun and was being bullied at school pretty badly. She had the gun pointed near her neck when we got there. "

Zoe exhaled for a moment. "It misfired and hit her in the shoulder. There was a defective firing pin in that particular Glock. " "She will be all right with time and physical and emotional therapy. "

Tony held her "It's good that she is alive. Some of our cases don't go that way with kids."

She nodded. "But now I have to try and hunt down any other Glocks shipped from that maker and see if any of their firing pins are defective too. Then destroy all the bad guns before they hurt anyone else."

He replied "I can ask Gibbs if he wants to help with that after hours. I am sure he will."

She smiled. "I could use the extra manpower."

He kissed her cheek. "Well what about me scrubbing your back? I have some of that almond scented stuff that you like."  
" That sounds like a very nice way to relax me Tony. Thank you, I am glad you are here when I need someone to listen. Before I would have gone for a run and then probably eaten really bad food or something. "

He nodded. "I know. I have done that before. And sometimes had a night or two of wrestling with rum and paying the next day. I know about bad ones."

Zoe held his hand. "I hope you know you can talk to me now. I'm in your corner and I am not going anywhere."

Tony smiled. "I wish I had found you sooner Z. There is a lot that I have had to handle or let it swallow me whole."

She listened. "Who was Kate?" "I saw the drawing that you have framed on your bedroom wall of you and I saw her name on the corner."

He said "Kaitlin Todd was my first partner at NCIS well other than Gibbs. She was killed by a terrorist Ari Haswari after we worked together two years. She would probably like you. Or wouldn't believe how different I am now than I was when I knew her."

"Pretty much I was an ass with her. Treated her like my sister if I had one. You know kind of like me in Philly when we met. But then Baltimore took the shine off the apple for me. Met Gibbs there. Actually arrested him. First and only time I took him down to the ground ever."

Zoe laughed. "And yet he hired you at NCIS?"

"He has a rule about not wasting good. So I guess I must have been. That was history and I am still here."

She smiled. "I am glad you told me about some of that. At least I know a little more about you now."

Tony said "I think maybe I need to tell you more."


	6. a slight detour

This is going to be a two parter, someone gave me the idea of Tony and Zoe going to a safe house so I wrote it and added it to after work.

A few days later: Tony came home to find Gibbs and Zoe in his living room talking. He said "I stopped for Pad Thai because it's Thursday and you two are having fun without me?"

Gibbs said "There has been a threat against Keates' team. You two have to be at one of our safe houses until we figure out who is behind it. I don't know how long it will take but we are on it with the FBI as well as other ATF agents." "You'll need to leave your real phones here and use these new ones. The cover is you're on vacation together."

Tony nodded. "Ok but I have a cat now that someone will need to take care of. Kate is good in her familiar surroundings but because she can only see out of one eye she has trouble adjusting to new places."

Gibbs nodded. "I'll stay here with her, you have a couch and she likes me so that way she doesn't need to be out of her routine."

Zoe said "Well looks like we have packing to do after dinner then spider. We can try and make wherever we are staying as home like as possible. I feel bad that this happened right now."

He shrugged. "Nothing you can do about it, you being safe is the main priority."

Gibbs said "Here is the map to the safe house and there are phones in it. I would only use them when you absolutely need to though. Someone will be checking in and also one guard duty from NCIS as well with a rotation from the FBI. Just so you're prepared."

Zoe nodded. "Thank you Gibbs for telling us and finding a place. Some of the ATF ones would probably be off limits for this situation."

He said "I'll let you two have dinner and get packed. I'll need to run home and get some gear for a little while. It shouldn't take me long until I am back."

Zoe smiled. "Thank you Gibbs. For having my back and Tony's."

He nodded. "Keates when you care about someone on my team you become one of mine. What you have is good for Dinozzo. I want to see you keep that." Then he headed out the door to go to his house quickly.

Tony and Zoe ate their dinner and started packing. Zoe got her IPod dock and their music. She said "We need our tunes."

Tony smiled. "And then some movies and my portable DVD player. I guess they have a television too."

They also packed some casual clothes and bath things for themselves as well.

"So it looks like we are going on a little well vacation together Keates." Tony smiled.

"Yes we are does NCIS have decent safe houses? Some of our ATF ones leave a lot to be desired sometimes." She said.

"Well when I have had to do protective custody things at one they have been fairly good. This one near Quantico is nice. They have a fireplace in it even. That's the one we are going to. "

She nodded. "Well we may as well get on the road then."

"I just need to change Kate's litter and get her dry food out and water. Then we are good to go." He did the things his cat needed and they headed out to his truck.

He helped Zoe into the passenger seat and then put their things in the back seat area. "Well here we go. It shouldn't be too long of a drive. And its better we leave now instead of during the day."

She nodded. "But nothing says while we are in this truck that I can't kiss your cheek."

He smiled. "Well no it doesn't. Might even help our cover."

She kissed his cheek softly. "That sounds like a plan."

They drove to the safe house and reached it about an hour later.

"Here we are Z. Let's head inside." He held her hand and then they got out of the truck with their gear and went inside. He unlocked the door and saw a black unmarked car just down the road. "Those must be our friends. Guess we will meet them tomorrow."

"Honestly I'm tired and I want to get curled up in bed honey. I'll unpack my things tomorrow." Zoe said.

"Hey are you feeling ok brown eyed girl?" He asked and touched her face gently.

"Sure I just need some sleep. " She got an old t-shirt that was one of his and had Philly PD on the front to sleep in.

"You like those ancient shirts of mine? Some of them should be probably thrown out."

She said "Not this one. Reminds me of when I found you. And that I am glad we met again."

He smiled. "That's nice. If it makes you feel comfortable who am I to argue?"

He kissed her lips as she headed off to the bedroom. "I'll be in soon."

She smiled. "Good."


	7. Chapter 7

A few weeks later: Tony had had a rare day off from work so he decided to make Zoe some lasagna for dinner. She had seemed tired the previous night and like she wasn't quite at full speed so he thought some comfort food might help her feel better.

Then the door to their apartment opened and he heard Siggy meow and then a muffled sneeze. He placed the lasagna in the oven to bake with some extra cheese and walked into the living room.

" You're home early Z are you feeling ok?"

She sniffled. " Can't breathe through my nose so the boss sent me home early." " Hachoo."

Tony hugged her. " Sounds like someone has a cold. I have lasagna in the oven right now but I think you need some soup or hot tea."

She blew her nose into a rumpled tissue. "What I need is to not sneeze every few minutes. Oh god another one. " Chiew."

Tony said "Why don't you go get a hot shower , it might help your head and then I'll give you a nice backrub."

She sniffled. " Ok thadk you Spider, you're being so sweet."

He touched her face. " I just want you to feel better honey."

She smiled a little. "I know." Then she moved down the hall with fresh tissues in her hands to get things for her shower.

Tony meanwhile had placed a eucalyptus bath bomb at the bottom in the corner of the shower for her. It would dissolve under the hot water and maybe help her breathe better.

Then he turned on her Ipod dock and found a little acoustic Alanis Morrissette for her. She liked that when she felt stressed.

He went back to the kitchen to make some tea and check the lasagna. He got out a soup pot and decided to put some things together for his grandmothers Italian wedding soup. It would kick butt on a headcold and he knew Zoe liked old family recipes that he shared.

Tony was cooking when Zoe came out of the bathroom with her robe on and looked pale and runny nosed with her hair wet on the ends.

She blew her nose for a moment. "Something sort of smells good out here. I can almost breathe after you sneaked your little surprise in on me in the shower."

He smiled. " Good I made my grandma Dinozzo's Italian wedding soup and the lasagna is cooling."

She sat at the table. "Well then I guess I will let you feed me after I wash my hands a moment."

" I hope you like the soup honey. I did growing up when I needed some extra love."

" I am sure I will you made it for me."

Tony got her a mug of soup and a spoon to eat with as well as some crusty bread they had made with fennel. He also placed a new box of tissues beside her. "Enjoy sweetheart."

He sat down across from her and ate some soup himself.

"I'm not allowed back to work until I'm a hundred percent , have a  
ton of sick time to use."

He nodded. "My team is on stand down for another day or so. So i can be home and lazy with you for a little while."

She sighed. "Guess I needed to slow down a little." She took a spoonful of soup. " That is amazing, has a little kick to it."

" There are some red pepper flakes in it. Nonna liked a little heat with her food sometimes."

She touched his hand for a minute. "Do you miss her?"

" Well she was there for me for a long time after my mom. I still can't find a cherry pie like hers for my birthday . But she would be glad I'm happy I know that much."


End file.
